The “Luck of the Irish” is upon us again as the annual St. Patrick’s day holiday will be observed worldwide through the consummation of copious amounts of dyed green beer. When it comes to holiday horror movies, few days have a character as memorable and persistently murderous as The Leprechaun, leaving a trail of blood in his path as he tracks down “me gold.” Today we’ve got a quick tour through the Leprechaun series along with some memorable lines and interesting tidbits you might not have known. Read up and drink a green pint in salute to the Leprechaun!
LEPRECHAUN (1993)
Synopsis: The one that started it all. Up until this point, everyone thought of Leprechaun's as those cute little green guys that would lead you to a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But this Leprechaun (Warwick Davis) is 600 years old, pissed off, and willing to drop as many bodies as it takes to get "me gold!" He's also got a green bag full of one-liners that will give Freddy Krueger a run for the money. In this first movie, Leprechaun has been sealed away within a crate beneath a four-leaf clover for ten years. When new tenants move into the house where Leprechaun is being held, the painters unwittingly release the mean little bugger and he goes on a kill spree in search of his treasured gold.
Lep says: "Try as they will, and try as they might, who steals me gold won't live through the night."
Wee tidbit: Everyone probably knows by now that this was the theatrical debut of Friend and Brangelina rival Jennifer Aniston. But did you know that Leprechaun was released on January 1, 1993 making it the very first release of the New Year? And seriously, what better way to start the year off then with the birth of this pint-sized holiday horror icon?
LEPRECHAUN 2 (1994)
Synopsis: You can’t keep a good little man down. As the legend goes, Lep was supposed to marry the daughter of William O’Day a thousand years ago until the man gave his own life to keep his daughter from marrying the fowl little bugger. The Leprechaun has vowed to marry O’Day’s descendent when he hits the ripe old age of two thousand. Now, in present day, we pick up one year after the events of the first movie. The young and comely Bridget O’Day (Shevonne Durkin) is the modern descendent of William O’Day. Now, since the Leprechaun can have any woman who sneezes three times without being offered a proper “God bless you,” the latest O’Day girl is about to meet a suitor who might not be the hunk she had in mind.
Lep says: “Cry as you may, cry as you might; its going to be one hell of a wedding night.”
Wee tidbit: The alternate title was ONE WEDDING AND LOTS OF FUNERALS.
LEPRECHAUN 3 (1995)
Synopsis: Three LEPRECHAUN movies in three years? Horror fans must be lucky! This time Mr. Leprechaun is off to Sin City. After being turned into a statue by a medallion worn around his neck, Lep is sold to a pawn shop in Vegas where the ignorant owner removes the medallion and sets Leprechaun free to kill him by first biting off his toe. While Lep is hiding after his kill, a college kid named Scott (John Gatins) comes across the medallion, which will give him one wish, and takes it. Now, as usual, Leprechaun is free for a some killin’ (this time in Vegas) as he tries to reclaim his precious gold.
Lep says: “For pulling this trick, I'll chop off your dick!”
Wee tidbit: Hoping to take advantage of the part 3 thing like Jaws 3-D and Friday the 13th Part 3: 3-D, LEPRECHAUN 3 was originally conceived for 3-D, but alas, it was not to be.
LEPRECHAUN 4: IN SPACE (1997)
Synopsis: Four years before Jason took his killing show on a space tour, Leprechaun was touring the milky way as he attempted to court another lovely lady, the Princess Zarina (Rebekah Carlton), to marry her and become king of the planet. His plot is foiled by a group of marines who decapitate Lep. One particularly gung-ho Marine, Kowalski (Geoff Meed), pisses on his severed head before returning to the ship. That turns out to be a bad move, however, as the Leprechaun apparently entered this Marine’s penis through the urine stream (makes perfect sense to me). And it is out of Kowalski’s penis that Lep emerges shortly thereafter in one of the most memorable moments of the franchise. Now the Lep is on a rampage aboard the space station to reclaim the forced-affection of the lovely princess (and any gold he can get his hands on).
Lep says: “As Shakespeare said, shit happens.”
Wee tidbit: The Leprechaun takes a break from the rhyming this time out, the only entry in the series minus his trademark skills.
LEPRECHAUN: IN THE HOOD
Synopsis: After you’ve conquered space, where can you really go from there besides Compton? Ice-T joins in on the fun as a pimp (what else?) named Mack Daddy O’Nassas who squared off with the Leprechaun back in the ‘70s after his medallion was mistakenly removed. Leprechaun kills Mack Daddy’s henchman, Slug (Bleu Davinci) with his fro pick (of course), but the pimp manages to get the medallion back onto Leprechaun and send him back to his statue prison. Years later, Mack Daddy is a successful music producer. He cons a few aspiring rappers and they rob him for revenge, taking Leprechaun’s medallion in the process and awakening the homicidal wee one for a killing spree in the hood.
Lep says: “I'll take it from you, homie, you'll see, cause you know the Leprechaun is the real O.G.”
Wee tidbit: This is part five in the Lep series, although it is actually the start of an all-new series for the folklore hero, as evidenced by the return to the hood below a few years later.
LEPRECHAUN: BACK 2 THA HOOD
Synopsis: After the country side, the big city, space and Vegas, ole’ Lep seems to like the hood as well as any place. Years back, Father Jacob (Willie C. Carpenter), found the Leprechaun’s gold and used it to build a new church. This, of course, angers Lep and he comes out of hiding to murder the preacher. He doesn’t get off scott-free for his sin, however, winding up trapped under the site of the new church construction. Some years later, Lep returns to find his gold has been stolen by a hair dresser named Emily (Tangi Miller) and drug dealer Rory (Laz Alonso). Not to be outdone by the fro pick stabbing of the last film, original kills this time out include removing a woman’s jaw to claim her gold tooth and stabbing a stoner to death with his bong.
Lep says: “How tall am I? Uh, about 3 foot 6. Yeah, but, but, I make up for it in other areas, if you know what I mean.”
Wee tidbit: Lep gets a spruced up, slightly more demonic makeover for his sixth film. This is also the first time we see his feet. Sadly, six years later, this remains the last Lep adventure. But have no fear lassies, he’ll surely be back for his gold and some bloodlust one of these days.
I loved these films. I first saw them on television. I bought them all and the Leprechaun is funny as hell. Even though the plots have gotten ridiculous, the movies still somehow remain entertaining. I hope they do one day make another one here soon.
I loved the first and second one, the third wasnt bad, but i hated the fourth and couldnt even sit through the fifth (hood) one and never bothered with return 2 the hood, they should just make another new one going back to the basics of 1 and 2...no remakes
Can I just say that Leprechaun in Space is one of the worst films ever made?
That being said, the first one is totally awesome. "Fuck you Lucky Charms!"
The Leprechaun has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. Of course the first was the best one, the rest has progressively became absurd over the years but still fun to watch. Bring on Leprechaun hits the trailer park!!!
Actually, I thought Leprechaun In Space was one of the best of the series (after part 2). The creators knew how ridiculous it was and went WAY over the top. It is hilarious, as it is intended to be.
The original is a true classic! I love the atmoshphere.
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